Rep. Franks: Planned Parenthood "Kills Children For Profit"

March 28, 2011 4:33 pm ET
- by Salvatore Colleluori

Last Thursday on American Family Radio, Rep. Trent
Franks (R-AZ) joined potential presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania
Sen. Rick Santorum to discuss the recent push to defund Planned
Parenthood. After discussing how there
are no real pro-life leaders left in the Senate, Franks wondered why anyone would
want to uphold the funding of a group "that kills children for profit."

FRANKS: Rick, there was always tremendous leadership for the cause of the unborn when you were in the Senate. And I'm told they are having a very difficult time right now finding someone to really carry the water for defunding Planned Parenthood in the Senate. That would not be the case if you were still there. And I want you to know a lot of us are awfully proud of you for that.

SANTORUM: Well, that's very kind of you, Trent. I appreciate it. So how is that effort going? I mean, this is — obviously, the ball is now in the Senate court and what can they do? Are there some folks you've identified that we need to do two things — number one, put that pressure on, to take that leadership — folks that are pro-life some people who have the ability to lead this battle — and are there key Senators who are on either side of the aisle who can play a role here?

FRANKS: Well, I definitely think you hit on the key and that is to get our minority leader and people like that to say we're going to force a vote on this, because when people are faced with a vote in a financial crisis as to whether to fund an organization that kills children for profit, you'd just think that wouldn't be a hard vote. And the challenge is of course getting the votes where the senators have to go on the record and make their stand. So I think the key is getting the leadership to make sure there's a recorded vote.

Watch:

Many people support Planned Parenthood, even if they do not
agree with abortion, because of the other important services that the
organization provides. As Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) recently stated, "I believe Planned Parenthood provides vital services to those in need and disagree with their funding cuts in the bill." Other
Republicans have also stated that they do
not support the cuts to Title X funding, which supports Planned
Parenthood's non-abortion services.